"To us, volunteering is a two-way thing. It’s not just about the hands-on help and skills that volunteers bring; it’s also about what this amazing continent, its people and its wildlife can give those volunteers in return." Greg Bows, MD

"To volunteer is to learn, to enjoy, to experience. To be excited, exhilarated and to explore a sense of awe and wonder. If it does all this for you, just imagine what you can do for others." ~ Sophie, UK

Life after School Results; Inspirational Stories from our Staff

Do you have something that interests you, but are unsure you'd be any good at it? Or, better yet, even truly enjoy pursuing it? Maybe you know you enjoy this interest and are very capable of succeeding in it, but want that extra hands on experience for self-assurance?

Below, we hear from two current AI staff members on how their experiences led them to their true passions and ultimate satisfaction.

Lorna Bonnington, our current Project Manager for our Greater Kruger volunteer projects, tells us how she envied her brother's travel and knew she wanted similar experiences as soon as she finished school. After extensive travel herself, she felt confidence in her chosen degree of study and career path she wanted to pursue.

“The day after I completed my last exam, aged 17, I boarded a plane to Ghana. After my older brothers had been travelling far and wide and reporting back, my jealousy compelled me to also go see some of the world! So, I travelled for a month to Ghana, my first experience of Africa, and it was definitely an incredible, eye opening experience! I experienced all of the new sights, sounds, languages, and culture that Ghana had to offer. In particular, I took away the lasting memory of the incredible people and experiences you encounter through travelling.

Returning to the UK for my ‘Leavers’ party, I then spent 6 weeks inter-railing around Europe with 3 of my school friends. It was a completely different experience to my adventures in Ghana, but a great way of seeing so many places and again meeting a diverse range of people on the way! I then returned to the UK to commence my studies in African History after my time in Ghana had cemented my decision to learn as much as I could about different African cultures and histories.

My experiences had also brought to light my desire to pursue a career working in development on the ground within Africa. I used every possible opportunity over university holidays to volunteer or travel somewhere new and learn and experience as much as possible!”

Below we hear from our current Photography Manager at Kruger, Tim Feherty who quickly discovered that the greatest satisfaction in life comes from following your passion:

Tim Feherty, Photography Manager

"Tim's education and lack of career guidance carried him towards a degree in computer science. What he soon discovered, however, was that while being very clever in the field of mathematics, advanced calculus and trigonometry, working through pages and pages of calculations did not give him any satisfaction. Instead, he went back into education with the idea that 'If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.'

Thankfully, he had discovered photography. Not only a way to express thoughts, emotions and feelings, he could foresee a future where he could show people what fascinated him about the world (and, hopefully, put food on the table). His philosophy now centres firmly on the premise of - Spend your time wisely, not your money. If you have enough time, the money will come, but money cannot buy back time."

Do you have something that interests you but are unsure it’s the right path or how to make a career of it? Take it from our experienced AI staff members; time spent following your passion is never time wasted.